Cat & Mouse
by Lazy Watermellon
Summary: He was at it again, another big prank exploded in the village and it was her job to catch the boy. She put the honey scented flowers down on the grave and headed off. Yugao slipped on her cat ANBU mask, she would catch him this time.
1. Chapter 1

Yugao was a very lonely person after her lover, Hayate Gekko died from the sand. Once a graceful and caring woman, now a silent killer. Many people close could see her crumble without even showing it to the people of Konaha. It was known the two were well on their way to go as far as marriage. She visits the grave daily, always on what ifs, she was slowly dying.

The night was in full swing; her ANBU mask was of a cat, her clothing black and grey with her lover's sword on her back. Chasing a boy in orange, who had on a fox ANBU mask? It was frustrating. Whenever she was crumbling, he was there, a prank would spew and she would be sent to get him, her mind to occupy on the fox to think of her lover.

He would jump from roof to roof with surprising flexible spinning accuracy. The game of chase would go on through the whole night. Though even if one was ANBU, the stamina of the boy was one to put the ANBU name to the test, he was slick, sly, cunning, and damn near never out of energy. Her mind raced, her blood pumped at always coming SO close to the masked fox boy.

The grace the two danced in the night, under the shinning moon as her purple hair swayed, her body twisting and turning to catch her prey, never seeing the smirk behind the mask as the young boy bounced in the night.

She felt uneasy as he came to a halt at a grave, his grave. His head dropped, looking down at the grave. He was by no means a fool. Sarutobi loved his ANBU, he knew some of their love interests and hobbies, and Naruto being so close to Hokage, he tended to know things most people besides the Hokage didn't. He knew of the love of the now crest fallen cat, and the now sick man that is six feet under. Sad story to be truthful, like a song that pulls at your heart.

She walked up to him once more, always stopping on this spot, always saying the same thing, the same conversation that seemed to be a script of a play. She placed a hand on his shoulder; he reached up to pull off the mask, only to speak in a gentle tone. "You know, he wouldn't want you to be like this, shattering day by day."

His words stung with truth, every day, less sleep, less eating, less emotion, she was dying, and she couldn't stop it.

She didnt deny the words. "He was a good man." She said ignoring his comment.

Naruto turned around and gave the girl a hug, her waist was getting wet from the boy's tears that seemed to rain down his whiskered cheeks. "I know it must be hard." He said in a soft tone." So, I'll cry for you." Such a silly boy, making her chase him, distracting her, letting her blow off steam under the shinning of the full moon that marveled in the sky. Her face was blank, but her hands roamed his messy sunshine locks with lidded eyes. The boys question reached her ears. "Tell me about him." It was a long night…


	2. Chapter 2

He was strong she knew it from the day she met him. Her soulless eyes watched him crawl across the floor with difficulty. It was true he didn't have parents to teach him but even on his own when all turned their backs on the infant he still learned faster than the rest.

Even at such a young age he didn't cry because of what he didn't have, didn't cry when he was knocked over on 'accident' he just kept getting back up over and over. While other infant nagged and cried, even when it was to be expected she would watch him as he silently got back up, his diaper weighing him down but kept good balance. His short scruffy blonde hair and giant blue orbs that looked around, it scared her, like he knew where he was, like he understood everything that was happening.

Her breathing stopped when they landed on her. Sure she wasn't hidden like the other ANBU waiting for someone to walk in and try to kill the thing, she was plainly out on the open against the wall. But it was like he knew her; the expression on his face was one you would give like you saw an old friend. It was so bubbly and happy, the gurgles and giggles sent her way. It was slow progress but he waddled forth, his destination clear to all.

The Violet haired ANBU fingers twitched when she saw him falling, the emotion slipping out. She didn't know why but she didn't like it when he fell. True no one she loved died during the nine tailed killing spree, but she still wanted to look after the chubby whiskered baby.

But once more she watched him get up, a little red smudged on his forehead from where he fell was shown for all to see, his ocean blue eyes a little watery but he stood tall, his little toes touching. For the longest time she was an ANBU, going on life threatening situations that could kill you if you so much as blink wrong. So many hated faces plagued her mind but the sight of a little infant was new to her.

She was an enigma to all, she was a mask and nothing more, no emotion no sorrow or feelings, but the sight of being wanted so bad made her mask crack. Her blank eyes gazed at the boy with intensity, the happy giggles from his lips dancing in her ears. And this time her hand jerked when he fell, her heart feeling squeezed.

But her heart warmed as she saw him struggle on, the cherry red mark growing bigger, and tears fled from his eyes but he did not whimper, nor did he cry out in pain. His once bright orbs were now squinted, his cheeks puffed and red from irritation. Once more the little toddler wobbled on.

The woman closed her eyes, the smallest if not microscopic of smiles bloomed on her face when she felt him grip her leg. He did it. She did not move as he snuggled close to her leg. Even as the aged third Hokage came in, questioning the sight, not even he disturbed the young toddler so content. For hours she stood, happily letting the young boy who used up all his energy to crawl his way to her sleep.

When she opened them she saw him walking away with his sensei into the sunset. Yugao stood tall on the great wall that protected her village and watched him walk. Taking off her mask, ignoring the codes, the laws, or even the risk of being seen, she stood there gazing at him. She smiled when he blushed and pulled the 'ANBU' mask over his crimson face, and even more when he was so flustered.

Yugao's hard black violet eyes gazed at the boy clad in horrible orange walk so strongly. The blade user would wait for him to return, she would carry on till she saw him rummage through the streets once more, the fire in his heart shining brightly and wildly, she would wait for him like everyone who made a space for the boy in there heart would.

She whispered into the wind as she was dissolving into sakura pedals, heading back to work, placing the mask back on she never let the smile on her slender face fade for the rest of the day.

"Come back soon..."


	3. Chapter 3

Yugao was a happy woman.

Being in the Special Forces you were honed to shut down your emotions, become a silent killing weapon and to obliterate anyone at the right snap of the fingers. A mission was your life let alone the only reason you lived. Some do it for the thrills of being on edge, some want to shut down and escape what they fear inside of them or the memories that have destroyed them.

For her it was a way of life ever since her lover died at the hands of the sand, to drown herself in missions and to shut down, but like so many times the ugly orange flanked her memories and brought her back to earth.

When she was falling into oblivion the chuckles cracked her cage. In the darkness he boldly walked into her bubble and single handedly popped it without even lifting a finger. It made her so mad that the boy could so easily get under her skin. It became a routine when he would explode the village in nonsense and tricks.

He would bail and scamper to nowhere, knowing she and the rest of the herd was hot on his foxy tail. It would be a couple of jounin first, but after an hour the ANBU would come in storming to handle the boy, but even they were being out matched.

It was like trying to catch a neon orange storm, ANBU would end up covered in tar and feathers, there cloths splattering with horrid colors that would stain for days to come. She was always the one to come close to catching the number one most surprising knuckle headed ninja in all of the leaf!

He would provoke them with toxic taunts and shameless gestures, being ANBU it wasn't all that scarring but it still haunted their dreams.

But a huge chunk of ANBU (more than what was needed) were stationed and in position at the top of the Hokage monument, their fingers twitchy and their hearts racing. In front of them, bathed in the morning sun was none other than there bane of existence, the one who put them through so much hell and back. The one who truly put the name ANBU to the test, and as much as they hated it, they couldn't get enough of him. So why was she happy? Easy...

Uzumaki of the ten thousand pranks was back.

He was taller, his clothing as bright and obvious more than the last, the black making the bright orange pop even more than it should. His head turned, the shit eat grin ever present on his face, the same one they all new and feared. His once childish eyes now a clear cut, sly and alert. If the ANBU new any better, this was soon to be one hell of a roller coaster ride.

But the woman in front was not worried in the lease, though her body too, was amped with unknown energy. She was proud to see him grow into such a fine young man, but she knew better than any he hadn't changed one bit. Yugao was truly a happy woman, and a smirk etched her face when he taunted them on the defiled monument, his voice reaching all of their ears, it was cocky, brash and crude, and they loved it.

"Long time no see, losers; still think you can catch your future Hokage?" As soon as he ran off the cliff, turning to give them all the finger, the game was on. Like a stampede the Special Forces dashed off, scaling and running against the wall to catch the sly fox.

It wasn't a village anymore, it was a full on battle ground, but a playground for the cocky boy. The grey suited killers flooded all around him, but with ease he swayed in and out of there grips, even getting in their faces. And when they got a fierce grip on him, he would hug them and explode into raunchy colored paint, splattering all over the pursuers, it was a gamble all in its self.

He did not hide; he did not blend in with the crowd, always in the open for all to see. Even as the sun went high in the sky they were still at it, there cloths now torn and ruined in too many things to count.

Yugao was hot on his heels, her feet ripping up the pavement as she sprung forth, her mind white hot with adrenaline as she blasted to the boy she could not touch. Soon the two were dancing in step, swerving around every corner. Even the other ANBU stopped to watch the two go into some odd dance; she would wrap her arms around the boy only to ooze out of her hold, his smirk ever present.

Before any of them realized, the moon was already upon them, and the fox had finally been cornered. A lot of their face masks had been smudged or even cracked from the force the boy unleashed to escape. There cloths torn showing a bit of skin here and there, the straps broke and their hair a mess, more than half of them were covered in dry paint and feathers.

Yugao wasn't in much better shape, but she walked up to the exhausted boy. "Naruto Uzumaki, give up, we have you surrounded." But he only chuckled, it wasn't a sly or mischief laugh, it was a calm, a happy one. Looking up he looked around at the mess he made, and loved every second of the sight.

The rowdy boy looked up, a content smile on his face for all of them to see, like he was thanking them. He slowly got up with wobbly knees, only to fall forward. He closed his eyes bracing for the impact only for them to pop open when he felt the warm comfort. But soon his electric blue eyes became heavy when he heard her soothing voice reach his ears, almost like a lullaby, it wasn't lacking emotion, far from it.

The boy clad in orange snuggled further in her hold and she held him tight, she wouldn't let him fall this time, even when more than half the ANBU were watching. No…no she wouldn't let him fall like he always used to do to hold her. He never did say why he went to her of all people in the village but she didn't mind never knowing, it was just time to repay the favor. Lifting up her mask, only showing her sharp nose and down she leaned down, giving a feather soft kiss in his wild gold locks. She could hear him hum, his body going limp from her melody's, only to smile when he popped out of existence.

How typical, to be chasing a clone the whole time, but the fun was done, and looking at the monument of the Hokage's it was spotless, the whole time they were too busy to look at the mess he made he cleaned it up right under their noses.

The night was upon them, and she waved to call off the troupes, it was time to call it a day.

Pulling down her mask and heading to her post she smirked.

"Took you long enough…"


End file.
